USEFUL BUSINESS INFORMATION ON IRAN

1. Country Brief:

A. Introduction - Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar. A group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed territory. Over the past decade, popular dissatisfaction with the government, driven by demographic changes, restrictive social policies, and poor economic conditions, has been pressuring for political reform.

B. Climate -  Iran has a variable climate. In the northwest, winters are cold with heavy snowfall and subfreezing temperatures during December and January. Spring and fall are relatively mild, while summers are dry and hot. In the south, winters are mild and the summers are very hot, having average daily temperatures in July exceeding 38 C. On the Khuzestan plain, summer heat is accompanied by high humidity.

In general, Iran has an arid climate in which most of the relatively scant annual precipitation falls from October through April. In most of the country, yearly precipitation averages 25 centimeters or less. The major exceptions are the higher mountain valleys of the Zagros and the Caspian coastal plain, where precipitation averages at least 50 centimeters annually. In the western part of the Caspian, rainfall exceeds 100 centimeters annually and is distributed relatively evenly throughout the year. This contrasts with some basins of the Central Plateau that receive ten centimeters or less of precipitation annually.

C. Geographical Area - Total: 1.648 million sq km, land: 1.636 million sq km

D. Language - Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

E. Currency With Exchange Rate - Iran Rials

1 IRR = 0.000107875 USD

1 USD = 9,270.00 IRR

F. Population - 65,397,521 (July 2007 est.).

G. Major Cities  - Mashad, Isfahan, Tabriz

2. Transportation:

A. Railway - total: 7,256 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005)

B. Road - total: 179,388 km
paved: 120,782 km (includes 878 km of expressways)
unpaved: 58,606 km (2003)

C. Airports - 321 (2006)

D. Waterways - 850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2006)

E. Sea ports - Assaluyeh, Bushehr

3. Economy:

A. Major Manufacturing -

B. Major Export - $56.9 billion: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, carpets, fruits, nuts.

C. Import - $48.1 billion: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies.

D. Major Industry - petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and building materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating (particularly steel and copper), armaments.

E. Trade balance –

4. Trade Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Trade shows and Exhibitions in Iran:

Major Trade Associations

Iranian Auto Part Manufacturers Association

POBox 15815-1314

No.46, Kalantari St., Gahrani Ave.

15988 Tehran

Iran

Tel: 98-21-8895321

Fax: 98-21-8891913

www.iapma.ir

Chambers of Commerce

A) Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries & Mines

Tel: 98-21-8893620-29 

Fax: 98-21-8906320

B) IRAN & GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Tel: 98-21-8715210 -8712230 

Fax: 98-21-8711123

C) FRANCO IRANIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Tel: 98-21-8793480   

Fax: 98-21-8776689    

D) IRAN & BELGIUM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Tel: 98-21-7525399   

Fax: 98-21-6408718

E) IRAN & ITALY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Tel: 98-21-8750086  

Fax: 98-21-8752733

F) IRAN & RUSSIA JOINT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Tel: 98-21-6723660   

Fax: 98-21-6701652

Major Trade Shows

IRAN MOTOR SHOW 2007

Event Dates : on Aug. 2008

Venue

Mashad Fair Grounds

End of Vakiel Abad Blvd.

Mashad

Iran

Tel: 98 (511) 5013000

Fax: 98 (511) 5018000

Description

International Fair of Automobile, Automotive Power and Spare Parts

Organizers

Mashad International Exhibition Co.

End of Vakiel Abad Blvd.

Mashad

Iran

Tel: 98 (511) 5013000

Fax: 98 (511) 5018000

5. Useful links:

Iranian Importers, Dealers of Japanese Used Cars, Construction Machinery & Auto Parts